Good News! Flaming July in the wind and rain, No. 161 who was trying to jump a gate (see previous blog) has calved today outside at 3.45pm. Proud mother and baby heifer (female) are now inside a cosy barn to bond, dry off and drink all that lovely colostrum baby calves need within the first few hours of birth. Mum and baby will stay together until Wednesday, when No. 161 will be milked with the milking herd through the parlour and baby calf will join the others in the expanding nursery barn. Then its up to muggins here to feed her twice a day, two litres morning and night!
Now this sounds easy, but for the first few days, we have to get into the pen with a over-large bottle with a 10cm rubber teat and man handle them to drink!
We've given No. 161 a bottle of calcium through a needle under the skin, to keep her from getting milk fever, as some older cows may suffer from straight after calving.
All this in front of todays visiting group of 20 members of Bingham U3A Amblers walking group braving the weather and were very appropriately clothed. How exciting for them! My first on farm calving in front of visitors. No. 161 didn't mind as she's had 5 other calves before so its nothing new to her!
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